Joseph p



(Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J. P'. ELLAOOTT.

REGLINING CHAIR.

No.31 1,882. Patented Feb.10,188E- .v

IIIIHHIH Jiiomys Mines N. PEYERs. Phmoiilhopmphen Washington. D. c.

tion of the same.

JOSEPH P. ELLAOOTT, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION BRASS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAMEPLACE.

RECLlNlNG-CHAIR.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,882, datedFebruary 10, 1885.

Application filed January 29, 1881. (Model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. ELLAOOTT, of the city of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Reclining Chairs, which are fully set forth inthe following specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a chair having myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a rear eleva- Fig. 3 is a section on the linewas in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detailed rear elevation of the leg-rest ofthe chair shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line y y inFig. 2. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 2 z in Fig. 5, looking downward,the forward end of the lever F not being cut off, however. Fig. 7 is adetailed perspective view of thelever F, by which the inclination of thechairback is adjusted, and the forked lever G, which forms part of thedevice for regulating the rotary motion of the chair. Fig. 8 is asimilar detailed view of the forked lever alone.

The same letters denote the same parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to chairs in which the back is adjustable atdifferent angles to the 7 seat; and it consists in the several devicesand combinations of devices for effecting such ad- 0 justment, forsecuring the parts in the several arrangements, and for rendering thechair reversible upon a fixed base, which will be fully describedhereinafter, and definitely pointed out in the claims, the object-beingto provide perfectly efficacious mechanism for effecting theseresults-more simple, compact, cheap, and convenient than any other withwhich I am acquainted.

My improvements have a special, though by no means exclusive, referenceto the use of such chairs as part of the furniture of a railway-car.

In the drawings, A denotes the base, which (in the particularconstruction represented) is circular in fundamental form, and securedto the floor by screws. Its central part, A, rises in the form of aspindle, on which the spider B revolves by means of its tubular portionor sleeve 13. The upper end of the spindle A rises a little above B andreceives a nut, A which secures the chair-frame to the base.

Immediately around the lower end of the spindle A is a flat circularplatform, A raised a little above the lowest part of the base. It hasnear its circumference two diametricallyopposite sockets, a The spider Bconsists of the upright tubular portion B, the forward branching arm B",the two laterally-branching arms B the two backward-branching arms B,and the rim B connecting the upper ends of the arms and supporting theseat 13. The tubular portion B expands at its lower end, so as to coverthe elevated circular platform A, on which it revolves, and it issurrounded at its upper end by a flange, from which the arms B B and Bbranch out. For its whole height it extends at the front intoa ridge orrib, b, which is continued under the forward arm B for the whole lengthof the latter. At the back it extends into a pair of similar ridges orribs, 12, which are in like manner continued behind the backward arms B,forming a groove or guide. The arms 13*, at points about two-thirds ofthe way up from their connection with the tubular portion B, branchout'to the right and left, then turn directly backward, and extendbehind,

the rim B to form enlarged bearings b, in which the chair-back O ishinged.

From the front part of the rim B on each side of the front arm, B",projects downward and backward a fixed hanger, b in which the frame D ofthe leg-rest D is pivoted. The hinge O, by which the chair-back Oispivoted in its bearings b, extends upward along the back of the chair ina strengthening rib or spine, 0 which is suitably fastened to thechair-back, and downward in a plate, 0 of generally triangular form,having its flat surfaces at right angles to the plane of the chairback,and its upper edge inwardly and its lower edge saliently curved. Thislower edge is notched at c, 0, c and 0", so as to constitute a ratchet,and to its rear end is attached one end of a coiled spring, E, whichpasses forward under the chair-seat, and is attached at its other end tothe pin 6, supported in the ridges b, nearly on a level with the upperend of the tubularportion B of the chair-frame. The elasticity of thisspring tends to draw the rear angle of the plate downward and forward,and thus to bring the hinged back G into the position where it makes thegreatest angle with the seat.

Between the ridges If, at the point f, about two-thirds of the way fromthe pin 6 to the upper ends of the ridges, is pivoted a lever, F, whoseshort arm extends far enough back to engage with the foremost notch, c,in the ratchet 0 when the chair-back O is nearest to an uprightposition. The longer arm, from a point a little forward of the fulcrumf, bends upward and to the right, and terminates in a handle, f, underthe front part of the rim B of the chair-frame and a little to the rightof the right-hand hanger, b of the leg-rest. The weight of the longerarm overbalancing that of the shorter arm keeps the latter up, so as toengage in one or other of the notches when the position of the ratchet Cadmits of it, and the elasticityof the spring E, drawing downward andforward on the lower back angle of the ratchet, then presses the back ofthe notch against the under side of the lever, so as to lock it firmlyin place and prevent any swaying of the back 0. By raisingthe handle f,which can easily be done while sitting in the chair, the short arm ofthe lever is disengaged from the notch, the contraction of the springalways drawing the back toward the position where it makes the greatestangle with the seat. The upper edge of the plate 0 coming in contactwith the rim B prevents the back from tipping too far. The straight partof the lever F on each side of the fulcrum is thicker than the rest, andhas in its front end a longitudinal slot which extends back of the pivotf and receives the central upright flange, g, of the forked lever G,which is also pivoted at f, but so as to vibrate or remain at restindependently of the lever F. Back of the pivot f the body 9 of Gextends on each side and backward from the'lower edge of the flange gand under the short arm of the lever F, and curves upward at each sideand at the end. A slot or bifurcation in this end admits of the forwardmotion of the plate (3 and of the motion of the lever F. This forkedlever G is shown in detail in Fig. 8 of the drawings, and in itsjuxtaposition with the lever F in Fig. 7.

To the forward end of g at g is pivotally attached a rod, G, which has avertical play in the groove between the two ridges b, and is bent nearits lower end backward and again vertically downward, so as to passthrough a hole in the circular rim at the bottom of the tubular portionB of the spider near its circumference and catch in one or the other ofthe sockets a in the circular platform A of the base. The flange at theupper end of the sleeve B extends so far at the back as to close at thetop the upright portion of the groove.

This portion H of the flange is perforated, so

as to allow the rod G to pass through. A collar, H, is affixed to therod itself at a point somewhat lower. Between this collar and the flangeHis compressed a coiled spring, 1, whose elasticity tends to force thetwo apart, and-consequently to press the rod G downward. By tipping theback 0 forward at the front corner of the plate 0 the pins 0 are broughtin contact with the ends of the base g of-the forked lever G, andoperate as a cam to force them down, thereby raising the other end ofthe lever G and lifting its lower end above the upper edgesof thesockets a. If, then, the chair be turned on the spindle A far enough tobring the rod G out of line with the socket a, the back 0 may be allowedto return to its former angle with the seat The chair being fartherturned on the spindle until the rod G registers with the other socket,a, the expansiveforce of the spring I will immediately thrust it intothe socket, and the chair will be locked faoingthe contrary way to itsformer position. The enlarged portion of the sleeve B,which covers theplatform A, has a downwardly-projectingflange, p, on its circumference,which surrounds the edge of the platform and protects the bearing fromdust. The upper rim, B ofthe spider is provided on each side with anotch, j, opening backward, and each of the chair-arms K has a downwardprolongation,K,whi'ch corresponds in length andin the curvature of itsfront edge with the arc described by the chair-back in passing throughits different positions,so that this edge is always inv the notch j. Onthe lower end of K is a forward projection or hook, is, which catches onthe under side of the rim B when the angle of the chair-back to the seatis greatest, and thus afl'ords an additional support to the chair-backin this position of greatest strain on the hinge. The contact of thearms K with the upper surface of the rim B affords an additionalsecurity against any tipping of the chair-back too far forward.

The metal frame D of the leg-rest D consists of the two upright bars dand d, pivoted at their upper ends, respectively,to the hangers b on therim B and of thetwo cross-bars d and d connecting the upright bars,theupper cross-bar, if, being far enough below the pivotal points of theupright bars to avoid contact with the rim B andthe ridge 1) of thespider in every position of the leg-rest. The horizontal breadth of eachcross-bar in the middle is sufficient to admit of a hole,through whichpasses a bolt, elf, of a size to play freely through the bars, and longenough for its upper end to catch in the notches Z, Z, P, and Zflwhichare cut in the front edge of b, that edge being curved to correspondwith the are through which D swings. From the lower back edge of theupper cross-bar a flange, m, extends downward to afford a fulcrum foralever, M, whose short arm terminatesin a collar or eye,

IIO

M ,which surrounds the bolt (1, and is affixed to it by a transversepivot, m at such aheight on (1* that when the upper end of (i engageswith one of the notches on b the end of the short arm of M will be incontact with the lower surface of the upper crossbar, (2 A coiledspring, a, surrounding the pin between M and the lower cross-bar, tendsto hold the lever in this position. The long arm of the lever M projectsthrough aslot in the righthand bar, (1, and terminates in a handle, M

. within easy reach of a person sitting in the chair. By raising thishandle the short arm of the lever is depressed, carrying down the upperend of the pin dflso that it will not catch in the notches. The frame Dmay then be turned on its pivots in the hangers b so as to hang belowthe seat, forming an obtuse angle with it, and thus being out of theway, or so as to be a forward continuation of the seat, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 5, or to take positions between these extremes. Itmay be secured in either position by releasing the handle M so that thespring a may force the bolt (1* into the corresponding notch, Z, Z, Z orZ. The foot-board D", which may be affixed to the front or upper side ofthe frame D in any suitable way, has an extension, D hinged to its loweror front end, so as to be continuous with it or to form any desiredangle with its front or upper face. A fixed foot-rest, 0, may also besecured to the back of the chair frame by the braces 0 and 0, so as toserve for the occupant of the chair next behind.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a reclining-chair,a chair-frame. a chairback hinged to thechair-frame, aratchet rigidly attached to the lower end of the chairendsof the back arms, the ratchet O rigidly affixed to the chair-back andarranged beneath it and equidistant from the back arms, and thevertically-oscillatinglever F, pivoted in the ehairframe between theback arms, and arranged with one arm opposite to the ratchet, allconstructed, arranged, and operating in combination substantially as andfor the purpose described.

3. The chair-base provided with the spindle portion A and surroundingplatform A having the sockets a, in combination. with the spiderprovided with the tubular portion B, flange H, rim B and back arms, Ethe forked lever G, pivoted between the arms 18, the rod G, pivoted toone end of the forkedl lever and provided with the collar H andspring I,the chair-back O, hinged to the arms B", and the plate C rigidlyattached to the chair-back and provided with the pins 0, allconstructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for thepurposes described.

JOSEPH P. ELLAOOTT.

Witnesses: J NO. 0. MAOGREGOR, ALIoE HOLLISTER.

